A message to the members of Japan Society of Nuclear and Radiochemical Sciences concerning the Great East Japan Earthquake

I would like to express my sincere sympathies to the people affected by the earthquake on March 11, 2011. I also extend my most heartfelt condolence to people who lost their family. It is thankful that I have not heard any tragic news related to any of our members, although not a small number of us are suffering from loss or damage of their houses, facilities, laboratories, and equipment. I can only imagine how difficult time they have gone through in places where essential utilities are still left unrepaired. I would appreciate the rest of members for your assistance and cooperation to the utmost extent.
As it is already broadcasted, the unprecedented situation of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, namely the explosion of reactor building followed by leakage of radioactive materials, subsequent radioactive materials contamination of water, food crops, sea water and exposure of the power plant operators, has considered to be a global-scale social problem.
Some of our members have worked on radiation monitoring in environment and analysis of radionuclide concentration in environmental samples since immediately after emerge of the problem. Moreover, the research group in JNRS conducted by Profs. Atsushi Shinohara and Noriyuki Momoshima has been working on quantification of radionuclide concentration in environmental samples and summarizing those data which could be found on our website.
Geochemical approach to an investigation on diffusion and transition of radioactive nuclides has been developed by the Geochemical Society of Japan (GSJ) and other scientific organizations. JNRS takes a part in this effort from the view point of nuclear and radiochemical sciences. This is just one example. Cooperation among related academic societies is essential in order to provide right information on behavior of radioactive nuclides, taking atmospheric circulation into account. Your understanding and contribution would be very much appreciated.
Upon request of Fukushima prefecture, quantitative analysis of Cs-137, I-131 and such in soil is being conducted by Prof. Yasuyuki Muramatsu, Gakushuin University. Some of our members have proposed to participate in this survey.
I assume some universities and research institutions have preceded their own investigations on the present nuclear crisis, but with the object of accumulation and provision of shared database which should lead to more comprehensive discussion, I would like to request your involvement in the cooperation with GSJ and the project of Fukushima prefecture.
As for publishable data and websites which include reasonable information to share, we will upload onto JNRS HP. Please provide us the information to;
Publishable data: data-fukushima@radiochem.org
Website: jnrs.office2008@radiochem.org
In the face of the perceived unprecedented crisis, it is our duty, toward not only people in Fukushima but in relation to all the people in Japan, to collect detailed data on migration behavior of radioactive nuclides, and provide accurate information. To overcome the situation by using our technical knowledge, I would once again like to ask you for your utmost cooperation.

What’s JNRS?

The Japan Society of Nuclear and Radiochemical Sciences (JNRS) was founded on October 12, 1999 to revitalize studies on radiochemistry and related fields. It is the newest academic society on nuclear and radiochemistry. Symposium on Radiochemistry is an annual meeting on radiochemistry that has been held for more than 50 years in Japan and has contributed to progress of radiochemistry. The participants of the meeting played the key role for founding the Society. The scope of the society covers not only nuclear and radiochemistry but also many related fields, such as analytical chemistry, radiation chemistry, geochemistry, health physics, environmental science, material science, accelerator science, radiation biology, radiopharmacy, and education concerning radiation and radioactivity. The Society succeeded the meeting Symposium on Radiochemistry as its annual meeting.

Membership

The JNRS membership is open to all, regardless of nationality. The number of the members are about 500 at the end of 2008. If you become the member, you will have the following privileges.
1.You can receive the Society's journals free of charge.
2.You can contribute your papers to the Society's journals free of charge.
If you need the information about the membership, contact to the Society's secretariat.

Activities

The Society organizes the annual meeting and other conferences. The annual meeting 2009 / the 53rd Symposium on Radiochemistry will be held in Tokyo on September 2009. The divisions of the Society open workshops and summer schools concerning related subjects, such as nuclear chemistry, activation analysis and environmental radioactivity. The Society will hold public seminars to extend correct knowledge about radiation and radioactivity to the public.